Method and apparatus for humidifying gas and for condensing steam on condensation nuclet

ABSTRACT

For the reliable condensation of steam on condensation nuclei in an aerosol flow and therefore for enlarging the particles in the aerosol, the invention provides a method which is characterized in that condensation nuclei are passed through an inner area of an evaporating zone forming a flow area, the liquid to be evaporated is contacted with the flow area and evaporated therein and the thus produced steam is condensed on the condensation nuclei. The invention also provides an apparatus for condensing steam on condensation nuclei with an inlet for condensation nuclei and an evaporating zone constructed in such a way that a flow area for the condensation nuclei has a heated liquid duct open thereto and that a condensation flue is connected to the flow area. The invention also provides methods and apparatuses for counting particles, for producing monodisperse aerosols using the aforementioned method or the aforementioned apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser.No. 11/332,209, filed Jan. 17, 2006, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for humidifying gas, inparticular air, and for condensing steam on condensation nuclei, thelatter having an inlet for condensation nuclei and an evaporation zonefor a liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many gaseous carriers, such as air, exhaust gases or the like, thereare particles having a smaller size than can be directly and immediatelydetected by conventional detection means, such as particle counters oraerosol spectrometers. However, the detection of such particles isimportant, because they can have a considerable influence, e.g. in therespiratory air on the health, effectiveness and service life offilters. To enable such particles to be detected, they are “enlarged” bycondensing on steam and they then function as condensation nuclei.

There is normally a storage vessel with a substance to be evaporated.The substance is brought into a humidifier means with the aid of aporous material such as felt and the like and in the same the substanceevaporates. The aerosol to be measured is then passed with the steaminto a condensing tube and the steam condenses on the aerosol particlesand enlarges the latter. It is possible to work with external coolingand optionally also with aerosol injection or with a turbulent mixture.The apparatus and therefore also the method are sensitive for“enlargement”.

In addition, optical aerosol spectrometers are calibrated, preferably bymonodisperse droplets in the range 0.2 to 8 μm. Use is made of aSinclair-LaMer generator for producing such droplets or particles.Initially very small particles with a diameter smaller than 100nanometers are generated as condensation nuclei and are passed through aheated, saturated steam atmosphere. Said steam-particle mixture is thenpassed through a cooled condensing tube in which the steam substancecondenses on the nucleus. These method apparatuses are very complicatedand also fault-prone, particularly if specific, precise particle sizesare required.

The problem of the invention is to provide methods and apparatus forhumidifying gas, particularly air, and for condensing steam oncondensation nuclei, which are simple, reliable and insensitive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention the set problem is solved by a method of theaforementioned type and which is characterized in that the gas is passedthrough the inner area of an evaporation zone forming a flow area, theliquid to be evaporated is brought into contact with the flow area andevaporated therein.

For solving the set problem the invention also provides a device forhumidifying gas of the aforementioned type and which is characterized inthat a flow area has a heated liquid duct open thereto.

For solving the second partial problem the invention provides a methodfor condensing steam on condensation nuclei, in which the gas ishumidified in the above-described manner, condensation nuclei beingpassed with the gas through the flow area and the steam produced iscondensed on the condensation nuclei.

An inventive apparatus for condensing steam on condensation nuclei ischaracterized by a device for humidifying gas constructed in the mannerdescribed hereinbefore and by a condensation flue connected to the flowarea.

The invention leads to a number of advantages compared with the priorart and permanent operation lasting several months is possible. It ispossible to use the most varied substance materials such as water,alcohols, oils or the like. An automatic activation and deactivation ofthe supply of liquid to be evaporated is possible, as is a simple, rapidsteam quantity control. The device according to the invention can beeasily cleaned. The device according to the invention can also beconstructed as a closed system, there being independence of the ambientpressure and the device according to the invention is usable in the caseof overpressure and underpressure and the method can be correspondinglyperformed.

According to a preferred development of the method the gas and also thecondensation nuclei are moved from top to bottom with at least onecomponent of motion through the evaporation zone and a followingcondensation flue and in particular the gas and also the condensationnuclei are moved through the substantially vertically orientedevaporation zone and optionally the condensation flue. To this end theinventive device provides that there is an inlet for the gas in the flowarea on the top of the latter. In particular, the flow area andoptionally the condensation flue is vertically oriented and the formeris positioned above the latter.

This development creates the prerequisite that the particles enlarged bycondensing on, the starting size being in the nano-range, e.g. smallerthan 100 nm, can move by gravity through the evaporation zone andthrough an aerosol spectrometer.

Thus, according to a further preferred development of the inventivemethod, the liquid to be evaporated is moved helically around the flowarea and for this purpose the inventive device is constructed in such away that the liquid duct is placed as a helical channel around the flowarea. In this connection the inlet for the liquid to be evaporated isplaced in the evaporation zone above the outlet for liquid notevaporated in said evaporation zone.

As a result of a helical construction of the duct guiding the liquid tobe evaporated the path of the liquid in the evaporation zone ismaximized and the flow rates reduced, so that there is a long residencetime of the liquid to be evaporated in the evaporation zone.

In further preferred developments of the invention, the liquid to beevaporated is delivered from a storage container by means of a pump tothe flow area and the apparatus is constructed in such a way that theliquid inlet in the liquid duct is positioned above the outlet forunevaporated residual liquid and in particular a liquid container and apump are positioned upstream of the inlet for liquid to be evaporated inthe flow area.

This leads to a continuous circulation of the substance to beevaporated. In a preferred, specific development of the inventivedevice, the liquid to be evaporated is fed to the inlet of the helicalchannel and the liquid then slowly flows downwards in the channel and isevaporated by a heater. Unevaporated substance can be returned to astorage container. Therefore the pump can deliver more liquid than wouldbe required for a 100% saturation. The storage container is firmlyconnected, so that the aforementioned closed circuit is formed. By acorresponding temperature setting, an overpressure and underpressuremeasurement are possible.

Essential advantages of the apparatus according to the invention arefree passage, a very good thorough mixing, adjustable steam quantity bytemperature and delivery (pump), return of the excess substance andtightly sealed storage container. In addition, the steam quantity is notdependent on the steam pressure, because through superheating anddelivery by a pump supersaturation can be achieved. The liquid flow canbe easily adjusted, so that the steam quantity can be rapidly modified.The nature of the liquid, such as in particular isopropanol, butanol,etc., cannot be changed by the user.

The method and apparatus according to the invention for condensing steamon condensation nuclei offer numerous possible uses. Thus, the inventionalso provides a method for counting particles, in which steam initiallycondenses on condensation nuclei-forming particles in accordance withthe inventive method and then the condensation nuclei provided with thecondensation steam are counted. To this end an apparatus for countingparticles with a particle counter, optionally as an aerosol spectrometerforming the same, is constructed in such a way that upstream of theparticle counter is provided an inventive apparatus for condensing steamon condensation nuclei.

Within the scope of the invention is also provided a method forproducing monodisperse aerosol, in which condensation nuclei of apredetermined, defined concentration are produced and steam is condensedthereon in accordance with the inventive method for condensing steam oncondensation nuclei. A corresponding apparatus for producing amonodisperse aerosol involves the aerosol generator being followed by atleast one inventive apparatus for condensing steam on condensationnuclei. In this development the method and apparatus according to theinvention offer the advantages that a rapid particle size adjustment ispossible without a bypass around a saturator, because the particle sizeis directly controlled the steam quantity, which can be rapidlycontrolled in a direct manner through the pump delivery. The manufactureand handling of the apparatus and the method according to the inventionare simple, no reheater being necessary.

In a preferred development of the method according to the inventionsteam for condensing on condensation nuclei can be repeatedly producedin series, particularly twice and an inventive apparatus is constructedin such a way that several and preferably two inventive apparatuses aresuccessively arranged in series for condensing steam on condensationnuclei. Through the cascading of evaporation units it is possible toproduce larger particles by the multiple attachment of steam bycondensation on particles. It is thus possible to produce particles fromdifferent materials, in that in two or more successive evaporation unitsuse is made of different liquids to be evaporated. As a result of thecascading of the evaporating units particles from different materialscan be produced. The inventive method allows a 100% saturation of thesteam in each further evaporating unit, because the carrier gas volumeflow remains the same.

In a highly advantageous manner the invention also provides a method forcounting small diameter particles, which is characterized in that theparticles are counted in a gas flow, subsequently steam is condensed onthe particles forming the condensation nuclei and in particularaccording to the inventive method for condensing steam on condensationnuclei, the condensate provided with the condensate particles beingcounted therewith following the condensation of steam and the differencebetween the particle quantities counted before and after condensation isformed, so as in this way to permit the determination of the particlesin the inflowing aerosol below a measurable limit. In this connectionthe invention also provides an apparatus for counting small diameterparticles with two particle counters, optionally in the form of aerosolspectrometers and which is characterized in that a first particlecounter is followed by an inventive apparatus for condensing steam oncondensation nuclei and the latter is in turn followed by a furtherparticle counter. Through the subtraction of the counted particlesbefore and after condensation it is also possible to determine thenumber of very small particles, whose size as such is below the normaldetection limit. Provided that use is made of an aerosol spectrometer atleast as the first counter in the flow, the distribution of the largerdiameter particles can also be established.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages and features of the invention can be gathered fromthe claims and the following description of embodiments of the inventionwith reference to the attached drawings, wherein show:

FIG. 1 An inventive apparatus as an air humidifier with a free passage.

FIGS. 2 a & 2 b On a larger scale cross-sectional shapes of evaporationliquid-carrying ducts at A in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 An inventive apparatus for condensing steam on condensationnuclei with a connected particle counter.

FIG. 4 An inventive apparatus in a single-stage arrangement as part of amonodisperse aerosol generator.

FIG. 5 An inventive apparatus in a cascaded arrangement as part of amonodisperse aerosol generator.

FIG. 6 An inventive apparatus for condensing steam on condensationnuclei with an additional aerosol spectrometer at the inlet and as aresult of the subtraction of the selected results from the aerosolspectrometer results, it is possible to unambiguously determine thenumber of condensed on particles below the lower detection limit of theaerosol spectrometer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The inventive device 1 for humidifying steam (FIG. 1) has an evaporatingzone 3 connecting onto an inlet 2.

The evaporating zone 3 has an elongated, tubular passage 5 forming aflow area and which is in particular cylindrical with a circularcross-section, but can also have a different contour, e.g. elliptical,oval, square or rectangular cross-section.

A duct 6 passes round the passage 5 and is open thereto, in theembodiment shown said duct being helical and is formed in the wall 7 ofpassage 5, here in the form of a cylinder jacket wall. The duct 6 is notporous and is in particular smooth. The duct 6 is heated and in theembodiment shown the wall 7 is surrounded by a heater 8 in the form of acylinder jacket and engaging closely with the wall 7. The wall 7 is madefrom a good heat conducting material such as metal. The heater can beconstructed in the conventional manner, e.g. using resistance wires, hotor cold conductors in wire or ceramic form. Electrical contact betweenthe wall 7 and heating elements, such as heating wires, is prevented bya not shown insulating layer.

The duct 6 is preferably constructed as an open channel. Its bottom 6 acan be inclined and passes from its side 6 b open towards the flow area5 downwards to its wall 6 c remote from said flow area (FIG. 2 a).Alternatively on the side 6 b facing the flow area can be formed as fromthe bottom a high wall 6 d only representing part of the duct height(FIG. 2 b). The duct 6 by means of an inlet 6.1 and an outlet 6.2 isprovided with a liquid container 6.3 and with a pump 6.4 delivering theliquid therefrom to the liquid inlet 6.1. The arrangement is such thatthe liquid inlet 6.1 is positioned above the liquid outlet 6.2 andpreferably the entire inventive apparatus is vertically positioned.Thus, the liquid flows under gravity through the helical duct 6 and,under the action of the heater 8, evaporates in the passage 5 theparticles entering and flowing through the same in order to formcondensation nuclei.

In the apparatus for the condensation of steam on condensation nucleishown in FIG. 3 a condensation flue 4 is connected to the passage 5. Inpassage 5 and in particular in condensation flue 4 there is acondensation of the steam produced in evaporating zone 3 on thecondensation nuclei and on and with the same condensate particles oflarger size are formed at outlet 4.1 than in the case of thecondensation nuclei entering at inlet 2. The heating capacity andminimum pump delivery can be matched to one another so that theevaporating zone can have a 100% steam saturation. Unevaporated liquidflows back through the outlet 6.2 into the storage container 6.3. Theparticle size condensed on is dependent on the steam concentration.

Together with a particle counter 34 connected to the outlet 4.1, theapparatus according to the invention forms a condensation nucleuscounter for counting aerosol particles functioning as condensationnuclei and which can in particular be smaller than can be detected assuch by the particle counter 34. Thus, the entering aerosol particlesare enlarged to form larger condensation particles by the condensationof evaporated liquid on the nuclei and they can then be detected andcounted by the particle counter. The aerosol nuclei can be solid orliquid particles or droplets. They can be sucked from the ambient air orcan be supplied to the inlet 2 from the outlet of an internal combustionengine, burner or the like, in order in this way to count the particleconcentration in the gas or the air entering inlet 2.

The aerosol concentration differs and is to be measured. The heater isadapted to the material to be evaporated. The pump is set to a minimumdelivery, so that there is a 100% saturation in the evaporating zone,independently of the temperature. The remaining, unevaporated materialflows back into the storage container. The particle size changes withthe aerosol concentration.

A second field of use of the inventive apparatus is in the calibrationof aerosol spectrometer units. For this purpose an aerosol generator canbe connected to the inlet 2 of the apparatus according to FIG. 1 andproduces or generates condensation nuclei with a constant concentration(FIG. 4). The aerosol spectrometer unit is then connected to the outlet.

A single-stage, monodisperse aerosol generator is shown in FIG. 4.Identical parts are given the same reference numerals and for theirdescription reference should be made to the description of FIGS. 1 and3. The monodisperse aerosol generator 21 of FIG. 4 has a core source 22for producing condensation nuclei, preferably with diameters below 100nanometers and with a constant concentration. To the core source 22 isconnected a device 1 in the form described relative to FIG. 1. Thedevice 1 essentially comprises an evaporating zone 3 and condensationflue 4. To the latter is then connected the not shown aerosolspectrometer unit to be calibrated.

The aerosol concentration produced is constant and is determined by therate of the condensation nuclei produced by the core source 22. Thetemperature of heater 8 is above the boiling point of the liquid to beevaporated. The size of the condensate particles is determined solelyvia the steam quantity and changes with the latter. Therefore theaerosol spectrometer unit can be calibrated over a wide particle sizerange which can be adjusted with the pump.

FIG. 5 shows a monodisperse aerosol generator in cascaded form with twoevaporating devices according to the invention. To a first evaporatingdevice 1 according to FIG. 1 is connected a second device 1′, which isalso constructed in the manner described relative to FIG. 1. This devicealso has an upstream core source 22. Otherwise what was stated regardingthe single-stage construction of FIG. 4 applies.

In both constructions the aerosol concentration is constant and theparticle size is controlled solely via the steam quantity. The heatertemperature is above the boiling point of the material to be evaporated.The condensation flue is longer, because cooling takes place from highertemperatures. The particle size changes with the steam quantity.

FIG. 6 shows a particle measuring device with an inventive apparatus forcondensing steam on condensation nuclei with which the total number ofparticles is detected and larger particles, such as those e.g. having adiameter above 0.3 æm are spectrometrically determined with respect totheir size distribution, whilst additionally the proportion of smallerparticles (below approximately 0.3 μm) can be detected.

For this purpose upstream of the inlet 2 of device 1 for condensingsteam on condensation nuclei is provided an inlet tube 31 with which isassociated a first aerosol spectrometer 32. The latter can beconstructed in conventional manner and e.g. can have a construction,particularly with regards to its optical design, such as is described inEP 889 318 A1 and EP 1 331 475 A1.

To the aerosol spectrometer 32 is connected the inventive apparatus forcondensing steam on condensation nuclei and such as has been describedin particular relative to FIG. 1 and to which reference should be made.To the condensation flue is connected an outlet tube 33 with which isassociated a further aerosol spectrometer 34.

The aerosol spectrometer 32 detects the aerosol entering through theinlet tube 31, such as from ambient air, exhaust gases of an internalcombustion engine, or a burner, etc. with respect to the concentrationand size distribution for entering particles larger than approximately0.3 μm. All the particles, including the smaller particles, formcondensation nuclei for condensing steam in the corresponding apparatus1. As a result of the condensation aerosol particles smaller than 0.3 μmalso evolve to condensate particles having a size exceeding this valueand consequently their number can be detected by the aerosolspectrometer 34 enabling the detection of the total particleconcentration in the entering particle flow. A size determination by theaerosol spectrometer 34 would obviously be pointless here, because theparticles passing through the outlet duct 33 are enlarged by thecondensed on liquid and consequently the true particle size cannot beestablished. In place of the aerosol spectrometer 34 it is also possibleto use a conventional particle counter. From the difference of theparticle concentrations detected by the aerosol spectrometer 34 (or aparticle counter) and the aerosol spectrometer 32, it is also possibleto establish the concentration of particles below 0.3 μm in the inletflow.

1. Method for humidifying a gas, wherein the gas is passed through aninner area of an evaporating zone forming a flow area and the liquid tobe evaporated is contacted with the flow area and evaporated therein. 2.Method according to claim 1, wherein the gas is moved from top to bottomthrough the evaporating zone with at least one component of motion. 3.Method according to claim 2, wherein the gas is moved through asubstantially vertically oriented evaporating zone.
 4. Method accordingto claim 1, wherein the liquid to be evaporated is passed helicallyaround the flow area.
 5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the inletfor the liquid to be evaporated is positioned in the evaporating zoneabove an outlet for liquid not evaporated in said evaporating zone. 6.Method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid to be evaporated isdelivered to the flow area by means of a pump from the storagecontainer.
 7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid to beevaporated is heated by a heater arranged around the flow area. 8.Method according to claim 7, wherein the liquid to be evaporated isarranged around a cylinder jacket surrounding the flow area andreceiving the liquid duct.
 9. Method for condensing steam oncondensation nuclei, wherein the method according to claim 1, in whichwith the gas condensation nuclei are passed through the flow area andthe steam produced is condensed on the condensation nuclei.
 10. Methodaccording to claim 9, wherein, following onto the flow area, thecondensation nuclei are moved through a following condensation flue. 11.Method for counting particles, wherein the initially steam is condensedon condensation nuclei-forming particles according to the method ofclaim 9 and subsequently the condensate particles provided withcondensed steam are counted.
 12. Method for producing monodisperseaerosol, wherein condensation nuclei of a predetermined, definedconcentration are produced and steam is condensed on the condensationnuclei in accordance with the method of claim
 9. 13. Method according toclaim 12, wherein the condensate particle size is modified and adjustedby the steam quantity produced.
 14. Method according to claim 12,wherein steam for condensation on condensation nuclei is producedrepeatedly in series and in particular twice.
 15. Method for countingsmall diameter particles, wherein particles of a particle flow arecounted, that subsequently steam is condensed on the particles formingcondensation nuclei, particularly according to the method of claim 9,that the condensate particles provided with condensate are countedfollowing the condensation of steam thereto and that the difference isformed between the particle quantities counted before and aftercondensation so as in this way to determine the particles below ameasurable limit within the inflowing aerosol.